THE USA, far from responding to Pakistani complaints against drone attacks by eliminating them, has extended them to Khyber Agency, where the first such attack killed no less than five people, and injured as many as 15. It has been claimed that they were foreigners, but the track record of American drone attacks shows that a lot of civilians get killed. Pakistan has long complained that the attacks are a violation of its sovereignty, killing Pakistani civilians, and thus encouraging the growth of militancy in an area known for the paucity of resources and the tribal traditions of their people, which place a premium on taking revenge on those who deprive them of relatives, as the USA is doing by its drone attacks. Apart from the injustice of killing innocent people, these drone attacks inflame local opinion and prompt action against the attackers. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told a group of German journalists that Pakistan had made enough sacrifices in the war on terror, and it was now time for the rest of the world to 'do more'. Mr Gilani must have had in mind the failed attack in Times Square, in which more Pakistanis had been arrested, when he said that miscreants and anti-state elements would be eliminated. He repeated the demand that Pakistan be granted market access, the refusal of which by both the European Union and the USA is an indication of the low priority that is given to Pakistan, even though Pakistan plays such an important role in the war on terror. Pakistan needs a reversal of its present policy of compliance with any demands made by the USA, and use the demonstrated capability of its armed forces to shoot down the drones. The harm being caused to the federation by these attacks is too much to be met with the present nonchalance. If to prevent further loss of Pakistani lives means an end to the friendly ties with the USA, it would be a small price to pay. The impression must also be avoided that Pakistan is somehow for sale, and values market access more than citizens' lives.